Not everyone is loving the “phenomenon” that is Niantic and Nintendo’s Pokemon GO, and now the game is getting its very own lawsuit.
Videos by ComicBook.com
Actually, that’s not entirely accurate. That last sentence makes it seem like this is the first lawsuit the game has caused, but that is far from the case. This is just the most recent. In a lawsuit filed against Niantic, Nintendo, and the Pokemon Company, Scott and Jayme Dodich state that “Nobody gets sleep anymore. How is this acceptable? … They hang out on our lawns, trample landscaping, look in vehicles … We don’t feel safe … I don’t feel safe sitting on our porch.”
The suit also states “Indeed, defendants have shown a flagrant disregard for the foreseeable consequences of populating the real world with virtual Pokemon without seeking the permission of property owners.”(via KHOU.com).
The Dodich’s happen to b e located right across from the Wahby Park, which has not only a Pokemon Gym but also seven different Pokestops, and has attracted a multitude of players to the area. Their goal with the suit is to stop Pokemon from designating GPS locations for their Pokestops and Gyms without permission from nearby private property owners. In addition to those demands, they are requesting a cut of the profits, since they believe that their property is an integral part of the game’s success.
For Niantic’s part, they have tried to stem the tide of people wandering onto people’s property on their website, which states “If you can’t get to the Pokestop because it’s on private property, there will be more just around the corner, so don’t worry!”
Earlier this year, the game received heavy complaints from the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum after discovering that there were three Pokestops placed inside. The same issue happened in a cemetery in Mobile, Alabama, where players were searching the memorial for new Pokemon to catch. Churches and Police Stations have also had issues with congregating players.
This will certainly not be the last we hear of this kind of thing, but this latest lawsuit could set some interesting precedent if it succeeds.
